Vigilantism: NPP, NDC must heed Akufo-Addo’s call – Rawlings

President Nana Akufo-Addo’s commitment to disband party militias and vigilante groups is assuring, former president Jerry John Rawlings said Thursday.

Rawlings has commended Nana Akufo-Addo for his call on
political party leaders to disband militias.

Delivering his state of the nation address in Parliament, Nana
Akufo-Addo said he will initiate a legislation to disband the militia groups if
the leadership of opposition National Democratic Congress and New Patriotic
Party fail to dialogue.

“I want to use the platform of this Message to make a sincere,
passionate appeal to the leaders of the two main political parties in our
country, NPP and NDC, to come together, as soon as possible, preferably next
week, to agree on appropriate measures to bring an end to this worrying and
unacceptable phenomenon of vigilantism in our body politic.

“I have
asked the leadership of the NPP to extend an invitation to the leadership of
the NDC for such a meeting on vigilantism. The security services of the country
will be on standby to assist this meeting.

“If voluntary disbandment by the parties is not feasible, then I
will initiate legislation on the matter. Vigorous debate and the exchange of
ideas should be the true basis of political dialogue and competition in our
country, not the activities of party vigilante groups. What was tolerated over
the years cannot and must not be accepted anymore. We must not take our peace
and security for granted— not for a moment. Our children and grandchildren will
not forgive us if we were to compromise our peace and stability. I will not
permit that to occur under my watch,” the President noted at his 3rd State of
the Nation Address in Parliament.

In a tweet, Rawlings called on the political parties to
heed the directive to safeguard the peace being enjoyed currently.

President Akufo-Addo has set up a three-member Commission of Inquiry to investigate activities of these vigilante groupings within political parties following violence at the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

The Chairman of the Commission is Justice
Emile Short, former head of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative
Justice (CHRAJ), the other members are Mrs. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, legal
luminary and jurist, and Mr. Patrick K. Acheampong, former Inspector General of
Police. Mr. Ernest Kofi Abotsi, former Dean of the Faculty of Law of GIMPA and
a private legal practitioner, will serve as Secretary to the Commission.